Prep boys golf: Novato develops into formidable team

FOR MATT BRIGGS, high school golf has been nothing more than an individual sport each season.

The Novato High senior has been considered one of the MCAL's best players since his freshman year, but the Hornets simply didn't have the depth to compete with the league's top programs.

Until this season.

"We're not just a team here to play," Briggs said. "We're here to win. We have the ability and the potential to beat any team if we play well."

The Hornets are off to their best start in years behind unprecedented depth, an offseason dedication and a key addition to the lineup. Novato improved to 5-1 on Thursday — coming a long ways from where finishing under .500 became the norm.

"In previous years, we always had one or two really low-scoring guys," senior Andy Fronczak said. "But the young guys have really stepped up and shot pretty well. Every guy has shot under 45, which is pretty good."

After a season-opening defeat to San Marin, the Hornets have rattled off five straight victories. Novato earned its signature win after taking down perennial powerhouse Branson, 209-216, at Peacock Gap on March 5.

The match came down to the final player, and Max Holloway's 45 clinched one of the program's biggest wins in recent history.

It marked the first time Briggs and Fronczak had beaten Branson over their careers. It was a huge confidence booster. It proved to them they were for real, and expectations at Novato had finally changed.

"We weren't too confident obviously because it's Branson," Fronczak said. "To win it was just great. We were all really happy."

One of the biggest reasons for the team's turnaround is the addition of Briggs' younger brother, Robert Briggs. The freshman had developed a reputation as a rising up-and-comer on the junior golf circuit.

It didn't take long for him to make an impact, taking medalist honors with a 37 in his very first match at the season opener.

"I've been looking forward to it," Robert said. "I'm glad we have a team that can compete with the other schools and have a chance to make it to the playoffs."

Both Briggs brothers and Fronczak have teamed up to create one of the MCAL's more formidable 1-2-3 punches. With Holloway and Alex Dunnaway improving immensely from last season, Novato has lived up to its billing as a preseason sleeper by league coaches despite a 6-12 record in 2012.

Over the last four years, Novato had gone 27-45.

"We all played over the summer and we all worked at our games," Matt Briggs said. "We got a little bit better and dropped a couple strokes. If everyone takes three, four strokes off their games, that's 20 strokes (for the team). That's a pretty big difference."

Still, it's early and there are hurdles in the way. The Hornets' first goal is clinching at least a .500 record to qualify for the MCAL tournament on April 29.

Novato needs to finish just 4-8 to make that happen.

"Our main goal is we want to make it to MCALs," Matt Briggs said. "But we're taking it one match at a time and see how many we can win. It seems like any team can beat each other this year. It's all pretty close looking at the scores."

The ultimate tests for Novato come next week with Marin Catholic on Monday, league-leading Justin-Siena on Tuesday and San Marin on Thursday.

"I'm happy we have the potential to be a good team," coach Mike Chole said. "We're off to a good start. We have some tough matches coming up next week that'll really test to see where we're at. That'll be a good measuring stick.